2018 Esso Cup

STARS BEAT SELECTS, FINISH PERFECT PRELIMS

JASON LA ROSE

BRIDGEWATER, N.S. – Grace Shirley and Mackenna Parker each scored a goal and set up another, helping the Saskatoon Stars pull away early and finish off a perfect preliminary round at the 2018 Esso Cup with a 5-2 win over the Northern Stars on Thursday afternoon.

It’s the fourth time a team has won all of its round-robin games in regulation time; Saskatoon joins St. Albert (2017), Thunder Bay (2012) and Calgary (2009).

Less than 24 hours after a record-setting win over Metro Boston Pizza the Stars continued to roll against another Atlantic team, taking a 3-0 lead before the first intermission.

Shirley got the festivities started just past the six-minute mark, knocking in a Jordyn Holmes rebound, and Parker continued her offensive hot streak just over a minute later, ripping a one-timer past Northern goaltender Jenna Landry.

Jayda Sachs made it 3-0 with a buzzer-beater, getting her stick on a point shot from Emily Holmes just as time expired in the opening 20 minutes.

Kianna Dietz got her name on the scoresheet early in the second period, taking a feed from Shirley in the slot and absolutely ripping a shot past Landry, and Parker went end-to-end before setting up Kaitlin Jockims for the 5-0 goal late in the middle frame.

Landry kept the Stars at bay in the third period, making 10 of her 27 saves, and Eva Wornell and Kara MacLean potted goals in the final three minutes to get the Atlantic champions a little closer.

Saskatoon will wait for the result of the prelim finale between Metro and Lanaudière to find out its semifinal opponent, while Northern saw its season come to an end with the loss.